Friday, March 6, 2015

Signs of Spring

My sweet autumn clematis in 2013.
One of the more frequent signs of Spring in my area is the sudden burst of "For Sale" signs.  This Spring I can't help but notice two of the nearby independent garden centers, although "OPEN" are also advertising they are for sale.  (They won't be carrying live goods for another couple months.) One sells the typical garden plants and home goods and collectibles; the other is a double header as well with florist services.

Gardening has had a difficult sell with drought and brutal winters here.  An aging population with a declining number of first time home owner taking up the spade has probably also had an impact.

My sweet autumn clematis did not make it through the winter last year.  I gave it until mid-July before I started looking for one.  Although I did not make this a priority, I kept my eyes open.  I never came across one.  I like to buy plants in person when I can.  This aspect of garden will probably be changing as fewer and fewer choice perennials will be offered locally.  That colorful basket of annuals has a lot more fans and will sell a lot quicker than that perennial when it is not in bloom.

The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again.

2 comments:

  1. Hi, first time visitor to your blog. I lost one of my sweet autumn clematis last winter. I'm especially sad about it because it was growing in a crack between the sidewalk and the garage. It was wonderful on a trellis up the side of the garage. I'll never be able to get another into just that spot. Enjoyed reading your blog.

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    1. Thanks for visiting my blog. Looks like we have a lot in common. Enjoyed your post.

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